Chair fabric suspension arrangement

ABSTRACT

A fabric suspension and replacement arrangement for a chair assembly. The chair assembly comprises at least a seat frame supported on a pedestal. The fabric suspension and replacement arrangement comprises an extruded peripheral member arranged for attachment to the frame of the chair assembly. The extruded peripheral member defines a central portion with a web of flexible material disposed thereacross. A lip member extends off of the seat frame to receivingly engage the extruded peripheral member to support the peripheral member therearound and thereby support the web of flexible material on the frame.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] This invention relates to methods and apparatus for manufacturing, installing and/or replacing fabric on the back and/or seat portions of a chair assembly or manufacturing and/or replacing architectural fabric elements.

[0003] 2. Prior Art

[0004] In the typical chair assembly, whether used for commercial or residential purposes, the first problem with that chair arises with the fabric of the seat or the back, not usually the frame or leg portion of that chair assembly. The fabric may become dirty, torn, discolored, or misshapen after almost an insignificant period of use. This situation is all the more conspicuous in public facilities such as waiting rooms in hospitals, schools, libraries and the like. Public care and appreciation for such furniture is minimal.

[0005] There exists a need for an inexpensive and efficient arrangement to replace the fabric on chair seats and chair backs to provide clean and comfortable seating for subsequent users thereof. Typically cleaning of such fabric after it has been utilized, is often ineffective, or hazardous to the cleaner, because of chemical agents being utilized, and the time and space required for doing such a cleaning. Such unpleasant tasks are often deferred or not done at all.

[0006] Other methodologies to correct dirt or contamination or worn fabric on a chair would include having that chair re-upholstered or replaced. Such alternatives are also expensive or likely not to be done when they should be done.

[0007] It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved chair fabric maintenance arrangement over that which currently exists in the art.

[0008] It is a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for simply and inexpensively providing the original and/or a replacement fabric arrangement for a chair assembly.

[0009] It is yet a still further object of the present invention to provide a fabric arrangement for a chair assembly which maintains its fit and support for a particular chair of curvilinear configurations, suitable for all accommodations and particularly for public facilities.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The present invention comprises a fabric suspension and replacement arrangement for a typical chair assembly. Such a chair assembly normally has a base comprised of a plurality of legs, a pedestal or other support assembly to maintain the chair assembly in an appropriate seating position. The support assembly or pedestal may support a mounting plate which supports a seat and back frame portion. The seat frame and the back frame portions may be curvilinear or they may be somewhat oval-shaped, and they may often define a curved surface on which to sit and rest one's back.

[0011] In the chair assembly utilized with the present invention, the frame portion may be preferably comprised of a peripheral tubing which may define the entire periphery of both the seat portion and the back portion of that chair assembly. That frame is supported by the support assembly such as the pedestal portion of the chair assembly as aforementioned. The tubing may be of circular cross section, of generally square cross section, or it may be of another geometrical cross section.

[0012] In the fabric suspension arrangement of the present invention, in a first embodiment thereof, a plurality of clips are attached along an upper portion of those frame members a spaced distance apart from one another. Each clip comprises a base portion by which the clip is attached to the frame. The clip also has a lip portion which may be slightly curvilinear and arranged at a slight angle with respect to the plane of the base portion. The clips may be attached to the frame portion by welding, fusion or by an adhesive or a mechanical securement system such as a bolt threaded therethrough. The clip may be attached to the frame so that the lip portion extends and points generally radially away from the geometric center of the frame configuration.

[0013] A further preferred embodiment of the lip comprises an extruded frame portion with a lip portion extended tangentially therefrom, so as to be unitary with that frame component.

[0014] The fabric suspension arrangement preferably comprises an extruded or molded plastic or metal trim member having generally similar dimensional and contour characteristics of the frame of the chair seat or chair back to which it is to be applied. The extruded trim of the fabric suspension arrangement is of the generally J-shape in cross section. The fabric or web is attached across the central portion defined by the peripherally extending extruded trim and is attached to the trim by stitching, sewing, adhesives or by a unitary prefabrication with the J-shaped trim itself.

[0015] The web of fabric is preferably attached to the lowermost side of the linear portion of the J-shaped trim. This permits a small gripping edge surface to be disposed around the innermost periphery of the extruded trim, so as to permit it to be manipulably attached to the frame component by a gripping tool.

[0016] The gripping tool for the application of a fabric suspension arrangement to a chair assembly comprises an elongated handle having a first end and a second end. The second end has a distally extending web portion having a hook component at its distalmost edge. The hook component is arranged so as to engage the innermost gripping edge surface of the J-shaped extruded trim along its innermost side.

[0017] The extruded plastic trim with its web stretched across its centralmost portion is first placed on one side of the frame assembly with the J-shaped portion engaging and receiving the distal lip extending outwardly from the frame. The hook of the applicator tool is arranged to engage and pull on the small inner edge of the inner flange on the extruded trim so as to pull the J-shaped portion over the lips of the respective clips on the opposite side of the frame which is already attached. Thus those tools permit ready attachment and removal and subsequent replacement of a web of fabric with its pre-configured supportive extruded trim.

[0018] The tools may at their distalmost ends have a lowermost jaw portion in addition to the hook shaped distalmost upper portion. Such a lowermost jaw portion would function as a mechanical assist by permiting the tool to slidably pivoting about the outside perimeter of the frame assembly to permit the pivoting of the extruded extended handle around the frame as the hook captures and pulls outwardly upon the edge of the extruded trim. Such an elongated gripping tool may also have replacement heads therefore, to permit different size frame assemblies to be maintained or supplied with replacement web fabrics.

[0019] Thus what has been shown has been a unique fabric suspension arrangement to permit fabric to be readily applied to the frame of a chair seat or chair back and also replaced with an alternative fabric in another extruded trim, with minimal time and effort therefore. The fabric and trim in a further embodiment, may be roughly pre-configured to fit certain multiple respective chair assemblies or the fabric may be elasticized appropriately so as to permit distortion of the extruded trim to mate with a variety of chair frame configurations.

[0020] The invention thus comprises a fabric suspension and replacement arrangement for a chair assembly. The chair assembly comprises at least a seat frame supported on a base support such as a pedestal. The fabric suspension and replacement arrangement comprises an extruded peripheral member arranged for attachment to the frame of the chair assembly. The extruded peripheral member defines a central portion with a flexible web of material disposed thereacross. A lip member arrangement extends off of the seat frame which lip arrangement receivingly engages the extruded peripheral member to support the peripheral member therearound and thereby supports the flexible web of material on the frame. The extruded peripheral member may be comprised a “J” shaped extrusion. The “J” shaped extrusion has a flange portion for receipt of the web of flexible material thereon. The lip member may be comprised of an elongated clip which has a base portion and a lip portion, the base portion being attached to the frame. The inwardly directed flange portion of the “J” shaped extrusion has an inner edge surface which provides a gripping surface for a fabric suspension and replacement arrangement installation and removal tool. The fabric suspension and replacement arrangement includes a fabric suspension and replacement arrangement installation and removal tool. The tool may comprise an elongated handle having a first end and a second end, the second end having a distalmost tip with a hook-shaped uppermost portion for gripping the inner edge surface of the extruded peripheral member. The second end of the tool may have a “jaw” shape configuration thereto, to permit the second end to engage the frame portion and the extrusion simultaneously. The second end of the tool may be replaceable by a substitute second end of different jaw size dimension or upper jaw portion only.

[0021] The invention also comprises a method of readily replacing fabric on a seat and/or back frame portion of a chair assembly, the frame having a peripheral contour, the method comprising the steps of: forming a channel shaped extrusion into the peripheral contour of the seat or back frame portion of the chair assembly; attaching a fabric across the shaped extrusion; forming a lip arrangement on an upper edge of the frame portion; and pulling the shaped extrusion with its attached fabric over and onto the lip arrangement for securement thereon. The lip arrangement may be comprised of a plurality of spaced-apart clips attached to the frame portion. The frame portion may alternatively be comprised an extruded tube or extrusion of generally “X” or “L” shape in cross-section. The shaped peripheral extrusion is pulled over the outwardly directed lip arrangement by a pulling tool with a hook on a distal end thereof. The channel shaped extrusion is preferably of “J” shape to permit the fabric to be readily attached thereto. The fabric may be attached to an inner flange of said “J” shaped extrusion by stitching thereto. The fabric may also be attached to an inner flange of the “J” shaped extrusion by adhesive or other means therebetween.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] The objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent when viewed in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:

[0023]FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a typical chair assembly which may be used with the present invention for public accommodation purposes;

[0024]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a seat back and seat base configured according to the principles of the present invention;

[0025]FIG. 2A is an alternative embodiment of the frame;

[0026]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of a seat back or seat base frame arrangement with a fabric web suspension arrangement attached thereto, and a tool for attaching the suspension arrangement to the back or base;

[0027]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a clip member for attachment to a frame of a chair;

[0028]FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of an elongated applicator tool for attaching an extruded trim periphery and fabric web to a frame.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0029] Referring now to the drawings in detail, and particularly to FIG. 1, there is shown the present invention that comprises a fabric suspension and replacement arrangement 10 for a typical chair assembly 12. Such a chair assembly 12 normally has a base 14 comprised of a plurality of feet or legs 16 to maintain the chair assembly 12 in an appropriate seating position. The feet 16 may be attached to a base support assembly or pedestal 18, which supports a frame portion 21, to which is attached a seat frame 22 and a seat back frame 24 which may be joined by a connecting member 20. The seat frame 22 and the back frame 24 may be curvilinear, as shown in FIG. 2, or they may be somewhat oval-shaped, and often defining a curved surface on which to sit and rest one's back, as embodied in FIG. 1.

[0030] In the chair assembly 12 utilized with the present invention, a portion of which is represented in FIG. 2, the frame portion 20 may be constructed of a peripheral tubing 26 which may for descriptive purposes comprise the entire periphery of either or both the seat portion 22 and the back portion 24 of that chair assembly 12. That tubing 26 is supported by the pedestal portion 18 of the chair assembly 12, as shown in FIG. 1, as aforementioned. The tubing 26 may be of circular cross-section as is shown in FIG. 3, or it may be of generally square cross section, or alternatively, it may be of another geometrical cross section, as numeral 27 such as for example, of “X” shape in cross section, shown in FIG. 2A with its unitary lip 25.

[0031] In the fabric suspension arrangement 10 of the present invention, in a first embodiment thereof, a plurality of clips 30 are attached along an upper portion of the tubing 26 comprising those frame members 22 or 24, each clip 30 being a attached to the frame tubing 26 a spaced distance apart from one another, as may be seen in FIG. 3. Each clip 30 comprises a base portion 32 by which the clip 30 is attached to the tubing 26. Each clip 30 also has a lip portion 34 which may be slightly curvilinear and arranged at a slight angle with respect to the plane of the base portion 32, as may be seen in FIG. 4. The base portion 32 of the clips 30 may be attached to the tubing 26 by welding or by an adhesive or a mechanical securement system such as a bolt threaded therethrough. The clip 30 may be attached to the frame so that the lip portion 34 extends and points generally radially away from the geometric center of the frame configuration 22 or 24.

[0032] A further preferred embodiment of the lip comprises an extruded frame portion 27 with a lip portion 25 extended tangentially therefrom, so as to be unitary with that frame component, as aforementioned where the “tubing” or extrusion is of “L” or “X” shape (shown in FIG. 2A) and has a unitary outwardly extending portion 25 already thereon, comprising the “lip”.

[0033] The fabric supporting element of the fabric suspension arrangement comprises an extruded plastic or metal trim member 40 having generally similar dimensional and contour characteristics of the frame (tubing) 26 of the chair seat 22 or chair back 24 or alternatively to a one piece seating frame, not shown, to which it is to be applied. The extruded trim 40 of the fabric suspension arrangement is of generally J-shape or channel shape in cross-section as may be seen in FIG. 3. The fabric or web 42 is attached across the central portion defined by the peripherally extending extruded trim 40 and is attached to the trim 40 by a stitching, sewing, adhesives 44 or by a unitary prefabrication with the J-shaped trim 40 itself.

[0034] The web of fabric 42 is preferably attached to the lowermost side of the linear portion of the J-shaped trim 40. This permits a small gripping edge surface 48 to be disposed around the innermost periphery of the extruded trim 40, so as to permit it to be manipulably attached to the frame component (tubing) 26 by a gripping tool 50, as represented in FIG. 3 and in FIG. 5.

[0035] The gripping tool 50 for the application of a fabric suspension arrangement 10 to a chair assembly 12 comprises an elongated handle 52 having a first end 54 and a second end 56. The second end 56 has a distally extending web portion 58 having a hook component 60 at its distalmost edge. The hook component 60 is arranged so as to engage the innermost gripping edge surface 48 of the J-shaped extruded trim 40 along its innermost side.

[0036] The extruded plastic trim 40 with its web 42 stretched across its centralmost portion is first placed on one side of the frame assembly 22 or 24 with the J-shaped member 40 engaging and receiving the distal lip 34 of the clip 30 extending outwardly from the tubing 26 of the frame members 22 or 24. The hook 60 of the applicator tool 50 is arranged to engage and pull on the small inner edge 48 of the inner flange 46 on the extruded trim 40, as may be envisioned in FIG. 3, so as to pull the J-shaped portion 47 over the lips 34 of the respective clips 30 from the opposite side of the frame 22 or 24 to which it is already attached. Thus those tools 50 permit ready attachment and removal and subsequent replacement of a web of fabric of pre-configured extruded trim replacement arrangement 10.

[0037] The fabric replacement tools 50 at their distalmost ends 58 may in one embodiment have a lowermost “jaw” shaped jaw portion 62 in addition to the hook 60 shaped distalmost upper portion, as may be seen in FIG. 5. Such a lowermost jaw portion 62 would permit the pivoting of the extended handle 50 around the tubing 26 of the frame portions 22 or 24, as the hook 60 captures the edge 48 of the extruded trim 40. Such an elongated gripping tool 50 in a further embodiment, may also have a replacement head 64 therefore, as shown in FIG. 5, to permit different size jaw arrangements to grip the extruded trim 40 so as to permit various size chair assemblies 12 to be maintained or supplied with initial or replacement web fabric arrangements 10.

[0038] Thus what has been shown has been a unique fabric suspension arrangement 10 to permit fabric to be readily applied to the tubing 26 comprising frame portions 22 or 24 of a chair seat or chair back or to a single curvilinear frame comprising both the seat and back portions, such as a lounger, and also replaced with an alternative fabric in another extruded trim, with minimal time and effort therefore. The nominally resilient fabric and trim are pre-configured to fit certain respective chair assemblies as needed in the art. 

I claim:
 1. A fabric suspension and replacement arrangement for a chair assembly, which chair assembly comprises at least a seat frame supported on a pedestal, said fabric suspension and replacement arrangement comprising: an extruded peripheral member arranged for attachment to said frame of said chair assembly, said extruded peripheral member defining a central portion with a web of flexible material disposed thereacross; a lip member extending off of said seat frame which receivingly engages said extruded peripheral member to support said peripheral member therearound and thereby supports said web of flexible material on said frame.
 2. The fabric suspension and replacement arrangement for a chair assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said extruded peripheral member comprises a “J” shaped extrusion.
 3. The fabric suspension and replacement arrangement for a chair assembly as recited in claim 2, wherein said “J” shaped extrusion has a flange portion for receipt of said web of flexible material thereon.
 4. The fabric suspension and replacement arrangement for a chair assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said lip member comprises an elongated clip which has a base portion and a lip portion, said base portion thereof being attached to said frame.
 5. The fabric suspension and replacement arrangement for a chair assembly as recited in claim 3, wherein said inwardly directed flange portion of said “J” shaped extrusion has an inner edge surface which provides a gripping surface for a fabric suspension and replacement arrangement installation and removal tool.
 6. The fabric suspension and replacement arrangement for a chair assembly as recited in claim 5, wherein said fabric suspension and replacement arrangement includes a fabric suspension and replacement arrangement installation and removal tool.
 7. The fabric suspension and replacement arrangement for a chair assembly as recited in claim 6, wherein said tool comprises a handle having a first end and a second end, said second end having a distalmost tip with a hook shaped uppermost portion for gripping said inner edge surface of said extruded peripheral member.
 8. The fabric suspension and replacement arrangement for a chair assembly as recited in claim 7, wherein said second end of said tool has a jaw shape configuration thereto, to permit said second end to engage said frame portion and said extrusion simultaneously.
 9. The fabric suspension and replacement arrangement for a chair assembly as recited in claim 8, wherein said second end of said tool is replaceable by a substitute second end of different jaw.
 10. A method of readily replacing fabric on a seat or back frame portion of a chair assembly, said frame having a peripheral contour, said method comprising the steps of: forming a channel shaped extrusion into the peripheral contour of said seat or back frame portion of said chair assembly; attaching a fabric across said shaped extrusion; forming a lip arrangement on an upper edge of said frame portion; and pulling said shaped extrusion with its attached fabric over and onto said lip arrangement for securement thereon.
 11. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein said lip arrangement comprises a plurality of spaced apart clips attached to said frame portion.
 12. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein said frame portion comprises an extruded tube.
 13. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein said shaped extrusion is pulled over said lip arrangement by a pulling tool with a hook on a distal end thereof.
 14. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein said channel shaped extrusion is of “J” shape to permit said fabric to be readily attached thereto.
 15. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein said fabric is attached to an inner flange of said “J” shaped extrusion by stitching thereto.
 16. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein said fabric is attached to an inner flange of said “J” shaped extrusion by adhesive therebetween.
 17. A fabric suspension and replacement arrangement for a chair assembly, which chair assembly comprises at least a seat frame supported on a base assembly, said fabric suspension and replacement arrangement comprising: an extruded peripheral member arranged for attachment to said frame of said chair assembly, said extruded peripheral member defining a central portion with a web of flexible material disposed thereacross; a lip member extending off of said seat frame which receivingly engages said extruded peripheral member to support said peripheral member therearound and thereby supports said web of flexible material on said frame; wherein said extruded peripheral member comprises a “J” shaped extrusion; wherein said “J” shaped extrusion has a flange portion for receipt of said flexible web of material thereon; wherein said lip member comprises an elongated clip which has a base portion and a lip portion, said lip portion being attached to said frame; and wherein said inwardly directed flange portion of said “J” shaped extrusion has an inner edge surface which provides a gripping surface for a fabric suspension and replacement arrangement installation and removal tool. 